Assessment of heavy metals contamination/pollution of phosphogypsum waste of the Mdhilla region (Gafsa, southern Tunisia).

Tunisia is currently faced with the extremely delicate problem of managing the millions of tons of phosphogypsum (PG) discharges which is already causing considerable environmental damage. The research carried out in this work is part of a geochemical assessment of the level of heavy metal contamination in phosphogypsum waste from the Mdhilla region (Gafsa, southern Tunisia). The assessment of ETM contamination/pollution is based on the relatively simple principles of measuring concentrations, calculating indices, and comparing them with established standards, which vary according to the nature of the element, its toxicity, and the receiving environment.